


Space Doggity

by TheEigthPillarGeneral



Category: Bleach
Genre: Angst and Feels, Canon Compliant, Character Study, Dogs, Gen, Historical References, Hurt/Comfort
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-15
Updated: 2020-04-15
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:22:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,260
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23669095
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheEigthPillarGeneral/pseuds/TheEigthPillarGeneral
Summary: Renji is a stray dog down to his bones. Tenacious, reckless, loyal, and rough around the edges, he will never stop being a stray dog, even as a shinigami.Even so, not even he had imagined that he'd form such a strong connection with a Russian stray dog whom he'd never met personally, whom he only knows through news stories. And he certainly doesn't expect the tragedy that befalls this dog to affect him so much either.But then again, he wouldn't be himself if it weren't for his stray dog instincts and his big, stupid heart.
Relationships: Abarai Renji & Hinamori Momo & Kira Izuru, Abarai Renji & Hisagi Shuuhei
Comments: 8
Kudos: 16





	Space Doggity

**Author's Note:**

  * For [polynya](https://archiveofourown.org/users/polynya/gifts).



> To start off, I want to give a big thanks to Polynya, whose Tumblr drabble about Renji and Laika inspired me to write this fic. And I have to say, this ties with Chapter 14 of "Written in the Stars" as one of the saddest things I've ever written. Evidently, I have a lot of feels about Laika the Space Dog, as this fic turned out way longer than I'd thought it would be.
> 
> The title comes from the song "Space Doggity" by Jonathan Coulton. Please make sure you are at home if you decide to listen to this song, and be prepared for so many feels and sadness when you listen to it.
> 
> I hope you all enjoy!

_Shin’ou Academy, August 1955_

“Did you hear? The United States is planning on launching a satellite into space itself!”

“Oh, that’s old news! Did you hear about the Soviets? They’re also planning to launch a satellite as well!”

“Jeez… what is this whole deal between America and Russia? I don’t understand…”

“Hey, I’m only telling you what my older brother told me.”

Their voices drift through the mess hall, and bits and pieces of this conversation catch Renji’s attention as he pauses mid-bite and sets down his rice bowl.

He frowns.

Apparently, the Living World is undergoing some major changes right now. He doesn’t know too much of what the hell is going on over there; all his excursions have been short training trips in purifying souls.

Yet every now and then, Renji hears a lot of news through gossip among his fellow students, and the majority of it focuses on some kind of conflict called the “Space Race”; a competition between the United States of America, and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

From what Renji knows, space is an endless vacuum of planets and stars and galaxies. 

It sounds rather terrifying, yet for some reason, these two major world-powers are desperately competing to be the first one to travel through it.

Renji has no idea why either of them would want to go through something so unknown. Then again, he’ll never really understand humans, even though he’d been a human once.

Why can’t humans be content with being at home on their planet? Just what is out there in space that attracts them so much? In fact, why are these two countries so desperate to be the first one there?

Either way, all he knows is that it’s one of many tensions between the Americans and the Soviets, and considering this so-called “Cold War” that’s currently ongoing, things are definitely not looking good for their relationship in the future.

Sighing quietly, Renji just gets back to his rice and his textbook, trying to study his zanjutsu techniques and kido.

There’s no time for him to be distracted right now. Exams are coming up fast, and he needs to prepare for them.

But that night, Renji finds himself dreaming of an endless expanse of stars.

* * *

_Fifth Division Barracks. October 1957_

The next time Renji actually pays attention to talks about the Space Race, it’s during his time as an unseated shinigami in the Fifth Division under Aizen-taichou.

Apparently, the current Soviet leader wants to do something “spectacular”, something that will repeat the success of Sputnik 1 and amaze the world. And of course, he definitely wants to beat the Americans in the process.

 _It’s still ongoing…?_ Renji wonders in disbelief, setting his chopsticks down. How long is this competition supposed to last for?

“Are you alright, Abarai-kun?” Kira looks at him in concern.

Renji just shrugs with a half-hearted smile. “Yeah, I guess,” he says. “Just wondering why the fuck this Space Race is still going after two years. At this point, it’s like they’re just measuring their dick sizes to see who’s bigger.”

“Abarai-kun!” Momo chides, looking scandalized. “Don’t put it like that!”

“What? You know it’s the truth!”

Hisagi and Kira just chuckle at his rather crude way of putting things.

“I mean, he’s got a point,” Hisagi agrees. “But this whole conflict between them is more complicated than just a dick-measuring contest.”

Typical. It’s always some kind of unknown beef between two governments that ends up dragging the innocent into the crossfire.

Renji supposes it’s no different from a turf war in Inuzuri… if it can even be compared to that, at least.

But then again, he’ll never really understand politics. He’s a stray dog, trying to chase a star that’s always out of reach, trying to achieve a goal that is beyond his capacity.

And that’s why he trains all the time. So he can beat Kuchiki-taichou; so he can become worthy of Rukia. And when he finally reaches her, he’ll apologize for letting her go, for not trying to stop her from going, and after that, he’ll never let her go ever again.

Right then, Third Seat Minase’s voice rings across the mess hall, interrupting Renji’s thoughts.

“Have you heard? The Soviets are apparently planning on putting a dog in space!” Minase says.

Renji blinks, his chopsticks nearly slipping from his fingers.

_A dog in space?_

“Ehhh? You’re serious?!”

“I am! They picked up a stray dog off the streets, and now she’s getting trained for Sputnik 2!”

Despite how amazed Minase’s friends look, something about this really doesn’t sit right within Renji.

“Oi, Abarai,” Hisagi says, looking worried. “You okay?”

“Eh?” Renji looks down and realizes how tightly he’s holding his chopsticks. “Y-Yeah, I’m fine.”

Yet this little bit of information continues to haunt Renji for the rest of the evening, eventually getting to the point where he finds himself sitting up at night as he thinks over this piece of news.

Getting up from his futon, he goes over to the window and stares up at the starry sky as he recalls Minase’s news.

Humans are now sending a dog, a _stray dog,_ up into space, into that endless vacuum of stars and darkness, all to see if humans themselves could survive the environment up there.

Does that dog even know where she’s being trained to go? Does she even care about any of that?

Of course not! She’s just a stray dog; all she cares about is food and love and affection.

She’s really not that different from himself, Renji realizes.

He sighs and climbs back into his futon.

Somehow, just thinking of that stray dog trapped inside a space capsule is quite disturbing. Even more… it’s actually pretty painful to think about.

* * *

_November 1957_

It’s when he’s in the Living World on a mission when he sees this stray dog for the first time. Rather, he sees a photograph of this dog in a Japanese newspaper.

Laika. Her name is Laika, which translates to ‘barker’ in Russian, and she had been found wandering in the streets of Moscow. She had been trained vigorously for this space mission, and now, she is inside of Sputnik 2 for her voyage around the Earth.

A voyage where she has died all alone, after only a week in orbit, far from all love and warmth and comfort.

Just thinking about that pulls at Renji’s heart as he looks at the photo of Laika the dog on the front page.

He finds himself carrying the newspaper back with him to the Seireitei when his mission has finished, and he cuts out the photo of Laika and keeps it in his shihakusho at all times.

Why he does it, he’s not too sure he knows. But something about it gives him a sense of comfort, as if Laika is by his side right now.

It’s as he’s training with Kira the next day that the urge to share the news becomes too much.

“Well, they did it,” Renji says, sheathing Zabimaru. “They sent her up into space.”

“Sorry, who?” Kira asks, looking a little confused. “What are you talking about?”

“Seriously? Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten,” Renji chides, pulling the photo out of his shihakusho. “I’m talking about Laika, the dog that the Russians have sent into space.”

Kira looks at the photo in surprise. “Wait… did you get this from a newspaper?”

“Damn right, I did,” Renji tells him, putting it back. “They sent her into space… and for all we know, she’s dead now.”

As he says this, Renji realizes that his hands are trembling slightly. Whether it’s out of anger or disbelief, he doesn’t know.

All he knows is that the subject of Laika has hit him a lot harder than he’s expected.

In fact, thoughts about this poor little stray dog continue to linger in Renji’s mind for the rest of the day, especially those bright eyes and perky ears.

The fact that the capsule was never intended to come back just worsens the ache in Renji’s heart, and he can’t stop thinking about what little Laika must have been thinking while trapped in the capsule for a week.

Hopefully her suffering was minimal, and that she was put out of her misery quickly enough.

* * *

By the time evening rolls around, most of the unseated officers are starting to regret ever bringing up the subject of Laika and Sputnik 2.

“How the fuck could they have launched a dog into space?” Renji rants, showing the photo to Hisagi, Kira, Hinamori, and other shinigami. “Look at this little dog! You really think she would’ve cared about going into space for some bullshit reason or another?!”

“Oh boy…” one of them mutters. “Who woulda thought Abarai would get so hung up on a dog?”

“You just _had_ to bring up the Space Race, didn’t you?”

“Hey! I didn’t think Abarai would start focusing on the dog, alright?”

Hisagi just looks at Renji in concern. “What’s gotten you so hooked onto this, Abarai?” he asks.

Renji looks down. “I dunno…” he confesses. “Just… the thought of being trapped in that little capsule, so far away from humanity… it’s scary. Can you imagine what that poor dog must have been thinking?”

“I know how you feel, Abarai-kun,” Hinamori says, looking more sympathetic. “I don’t believe it’s right either. But what can we do, exactly? We’re not even alive right now, we’re just unseated shinigami.”

Unfortunately, Hinamori has a point. There really isn’t anything Renji can do to help that little dog.

With a sigh, he just puts the photo away. “You’re right,” he agrees morosely.

Even so, he can’t take the thought of Laika, with those sad puppy eyes and those perky ears, all alone and frightened in a space capsule, off his mind.

That night, Renji finds himself lying awake and staring up at the ceiling. Ignoring the sounds of the other sleeping shinigami in the room, he slowly climbs out of bed, takes Zabimaru, and heads out of the dorms to get some ink, a brush, and a sheet of paper. And once he’s got those, he heads down to the mess hall.

With only a small lantern and the moonlight shining through the windows to give him some light, Renji writes a letter.

He doesn’t address it to anyone specific; after all, the Grim Reapers of Nav, the Slavic underworld that’s said to be much bigger than Soul Society, are known to be rather reclusive and dead serious in their business. He doesn’t know anyone in that region, but hopefully someone there can understand Japanese.

As Renji writes, he tries to keep his letter polite and businesslike without giving into his urge to rant about the atrocity in sending an innocent dog up into space.

But will they even read his letter? Will they even care to receive a letter from an unseated Shinigami in the Japanese Soul Society?

 _As if they would._ Renji thinks bitterly. _Those guys are not to be fucked with…_

No, he can’t think like that. He has to do this. He has to make sure that his letter gets sent across the Smorodina River.

But then again, from what he’s heard, Nav is a huge place. There’s no way they’d be able to just come across a little mongrel just like that. Nevertheless, Renji continues to write, all while wondering just what possesses him to chase lost causes and impossible dreams.

Before dawn comes, Renji sends his letter off to a transregional post office, meant to send mail to other realms of the dead beyond Soul Society’s borders.

It’s when he gets back that he notices Ichimaru-fukutaichou doing something rather shady in the training grounds. For some reason, it sends a chill down his spine, and his stray instincts kick in.

The last thing Renji registers is his hand grabbing Zabimaru’s hilt as he unsheathes his zanpakuto. 

Deep within, he hears the nue’s roar as red clouds his vision.

* * *

A month has passed since Renji’s transfer to the Eleventh Division after his unprecedented attack against Ichimaru-fukutaichou, and he’s already adjusted pretty well to the new environment.

Zaraki-taichou is wild and crazy, and something about his style of leadership just suits Renji fine. Instead of being ashamed of his rougher instincts and fighting frenzy, he learns to embrace it and use it to his advantage in combat.

He’s also fairly surprised at how Madarame Ikkaku and Ayasegawa Yumichika stand out from the rest of the squad.

Ikkaku seems to be hiding something from everyone; he tries to hide that he’s hiding something, but no one really seems to care. It’s the same with Yumichika, though he’s a lot better at hiding that fact.

Having won his latest fight to advance up to the rank of Ninth Seat, Renji finds himself receiving a surprise of drinks on Ikkaku’s tab as a celebration for his accomplishments.

Though he’s unprepared for the questions that come his way, courtesy of Yumichika himself.

“So tell us, Abarai-kun,” Yumichika begins, sipping at his sake. “I heard you were kicked out of the Fifth Division. Care to tell us what happened?”

Renji frowns, setting his sake cup down. “I can’t,” he says. “I don’t want to talk about it.”

It’s too much of a bitter reminder of how strangely smug Aizen-taichou had looked as he’d kicked him out. But Yumichika’s words have brought back another reminder.

It’s been a month since he’d sent that letter to Nav. And as expected, he hasn’t gotten a single response from them.

As if they’d even waste their time on a letter from a young shinigami.

But again, Renji refuses to give up. He won’t be able to rest easily until he finds out what really happened to Laika, and whether or not she has made it to the afterlife.

And later that night, he keeps the newspaper photo of Laika beside him as he writes up another letter to send to Nav. Again, he does his best to make sure his kanji is correct and clear enough for a translator to understand.

Hopefully he’ll get a response this time.

When he’s finished up the letter again, he blows on the ink to dry it before folding it up and tying it with a string before tucking it into his shihakusho.

It takes a little longer for him to get to the transregional post office this time, considering that the nearest one is in the Tenth Division’s district, but he doesn’t really mind right now.

No one really cares what you’re up to in the Eleventh.

Though Renji certainly doesn’t expect to be greeted by Yumichika when he gets back to the barracks.

“Out on a moonlight walk, Abarai-kun?” Yumichika asks.

Renji sighs. “No, not really,” he says. “Just… sending off a letter.”

“You seem a little troubled. Want to tell me about it?”

Would Yumichika listen to him? Would he think that he’s being ridiculous right now?

Oh, fuck it. Maybe he should tell him… so long as he can keep it a secret.

“Alright, fine,” Renji concedes, stepping in line next to Yumichika as they walk along the veranda that overlooks the training grounds.

And he tells Yumichika about everything. The Space Race, the satellites, and of course, Laika the space dog. And then he finally tells him about how he’s trying to send letters to Nav so he can find out what exactly happened to her.

Surprisingly, Yumichika doesn’t judge.

“She died after a week in orbit, for all we know,” Renji says, folding his arms across his chest. “How can anyone be so cruel to a stray dog?”

Yumichika regards him with a pleasant surprise. “I certainly didn’t expect you to be so affected by this,” he observes. “Are you a dog person?”

Renji shrugs. “I guess…”

“Come to think of it, you know how to write.” Yumichika’s eyes glint slightly. “Does that mean you can help me out with the division paperwork?”

He stops abruptly and turns to look at him in disbelief.

“Seriously? You decide to ask me for help with paperwork?” Renji repeats incredulously.

“Well, who else am I supposed to ask?! Hardly anyone else in this division knows how to read and write!” Yumichika protests.

He has a point, Renji concedes.

“Alright… I’ll help,” he agrees grudgingly. “So long as you agree to keep this all a secret.”

“I’m an expert at keeping secrets,” Yumichika tells him with a smirk.

* * *

Thanks to Renji’s help in between his training, both he and Yumichika are able to complete the huge stacks of forms that gather dust in one of the offices.

In fact, Renji grows to appreciate filling out paperwork, which is surprisingly calming after a bout of some very vigorous training. The feeling of having completed one of those ridiculously huge stacks of forms is quite a relief, actually. And when he brings back an old radio from the Living World to listen to while doing paperwork, it becomes much easier to get things done.

Four months pass since he’s agreed to help out Yumichika. The radio plays the news as they both fill out some more forms after some intense training, and while it remains as background noise for the most part, the announcer manages to catch Renji’s ear with a simple name.

 _“... on April 14th, 1958, at two a.m.,_ Sputnik 2 _re-entered into Earth’s atmosphere and burned up during re-entry. According to Soviet officials, the capsule had completed 2,570 orbits around the Earth, all while containing Laika, the first dog in space…”_

Renji freezes, his brush dripping ink onto the table as the news registers in his mind.

It’s over now. Laika is gone for good.

* * *

Months turn into years, and Renji continues to work hard. He moves up in the ranks of the Eleventh, winning battle after battle, all so he can finally work his way up to the rank of Lieutenant. And then, he’ll transfer into the Sixth, and then he’ll have a better chance at beating Kuchiki Byakuya.

In-between, he hears bits and pieces of news from other shinigami about more advancements in space travel. Yuri Gagarin, John Glenn, the moon landings, so many triumphs in the Living World that amaze so many souls in the Seireitei and the Gotei 13.

Of course, there are some disasters; disasters that cost many human lives in the process. Even so, the humans just keep on moving forward.

Yet every time he hears of these achievements and disasters, all Renji can think about is Laika.

What is it like to die in space? It’s a cold and endless expanse of black. To be all the way out in such an unforgiving environment, all alone with no one to hold you or stay by your side as your life fades away… it’s terrifying.

Over the years, Renji’s letters to the Slavic Grim Reapers become more terse, more confused, more frustrated, and he never receives a single response from them.

 _How hard is it to just respond to a fucking letter, dammit?!_ Renji thinks as he trains vigorously. _Are they even getting the letters?!_

The snarls of Zabimaru echo through his mind as slashes through various targets with the bladed segments of his shikai. He can feel it deep within him. 

Bankai is getting closer and closer.

Even then, it doesn’t stop him from being frustrated with not even getting an answer to any of his letters.

By the time he gets promoted to the rank of lieutenant and transfers over to the Sixth Division, it’s already a year since the turn of the century.

And he still hasn’t stopped thinking about Laika, or trying to find out what happened to her.

His letters to Nav become less frequent as he adjusts to the duties of being a lieutenant, but every now and then, he works on writing another letter to send. Maybe they might actually answer to his letters, now that he’s a lieutenant?

When his fellow lieutenants catch wind of Renji’s letter-writing to Nav, they are quite stunned at his reasons behind them.

“Holy shit, you’re _still_ obsessed over Laika the space dog?!” Hisagi demands incredulously. “You can’t be serious, Abarai! It’s been decades since then!”

“Well, I am!” Renji retorts. “And I ain’t gonna stop until one of those guys in Nav finally responds to at least one of my letters!”

Matsumoto Rangiku looks a little confused and disbelieving. “Hold on, hold on. You’re sending letters over a dog?” she asks.

“Damn right I am. What they did to Laika back then was horrible, and I won’t ever be at peace until I find out just what exactly happened to her.” With that declaration, Renji knocks back a cup of sake. “She didn’t want to be the first dog in space, dammit! All she wanted was to be loved by humans! What they did to her was wrong!”

Kira sighs. “Jeez… first you decide to try and defeat Kuchiki-taichou, now you’re trying to find a stray dog in a different undead realm?” He shakes his head. “You really like chasing lost causes, don’t you?”

“I’m telling you, ever since he heard about the Space Race and Sputnik 2, Abarai’s been obsessed with Laika and dogs going into space,” Hisagi says to Rangiku.

Rangiku raises an eyebrow. “Seriously?”

“Yes. He even told us about it when he was in the Eleventh,” Yumichika adds.

“I think it’s kind of sweet, really,” Hinamori admits with a smile. “It’s all the more proof that Abarai-kun has a big heart!”

Somehow, Renji finds himself blushing at that. “I dunno ‘bout that…” he mumbles.

“But what’s gotten you so passionate about Laika?” Ikkaku asks him.

“Does it really matter? I just don’t think a dog deserves to be sent up into space,” Renji says, rubbing the back of his neck. “Besides, what the fuck does a stray dog care about going into space?”

However, that’s only the surface reason.

When he looks at the photo of Laika, now worn and fading with time and age, he’s reminded of himself.

A stray dog, used to enduring extreme hunger and cold, and desperate for love and warmth. That’s what he had been, and that’s what he still is, really. It doesn’t matter how long he’s been in the Seireitei, he will always be a stray dog down to his bones.

But just because he’s a stray dog, doesn’t mean he has to accept injustice or anyone else’s bullshit, especially bullshit regarding class differences and social statuses.

Renji will always fight against those, and he won’t ever stop trying to reach the moon and stars.

* * *

_October 2002_

A year has passed since the Winter War, since Aizen has been imprisoned… since all of Soul Society has been changed by that young substitute shinigami Kurosaki Ichigo.

Renji has just finished another routine mission in Karakura Town, but before he heads back home, he notices a newspaper stand selling papers with headlines that read, ‘RUSSIAN SCIENTISTS REVEAL TRUTH ABOUT SPUTNIK 2’.

Almost eleven years have passed since the fall of the Soviet Union, since the end of this ‘Cold War’, and a lot of mysteries and secrets are being revealed. And now… they’re revealing the truth about their space program, about Laika herself.

Curious and anxious about this, Renji decides to take a copy back with him to Soul Society.

After emerging from the Senkaimon, he returns his gigai to the Twelfth before returning back to the Sixth, where he is welcomed back by the other shinigami. 

“Welcome back, Abarai-fukutaichou!” they all greet as they bow.

Renji nods in greeting before he makes his way to the office that he shares with Kuchiki-taichou.

“Is Kuchiki-taichou in the office?” Renji asks.

“He’s stepped out for a bit,” Rikichi tells him helpfully. “He had to discuss something with Ukitake-taichou, but he said that he expects your report by this evening!”

Renji sighs and smiles. “As expected of him,” he says dryly. “Thanks, Rikichi.”

He then turns to the rest of the officers. “We got zanpakuto training this afternoon, so I expect you all to be on the training grounds at fourteen-hundred! Is that clear?” he orders.

“Yes, sir!” the shinigami say in unison.

When he enters the shared office a short while later, Renji takes a seat at his desk and pulls out the newspaper from his shihakusho.

THE SAD STORY OF LAIKA THE SPACE DOG, AND THE DARK SIDE OF SPUTNIK 2, the caption reads beneath a photo of Laika inside a training capsule.

His heart drops as he reads the news, and his stomach clenches unpleasantly as he reads what Dr. Dimitri Malashenkov, the scientist in question, has to say about this mission.

Laika hadn’t been euthanized. She hadn’t been alive for one week. It hadn’t been a painless death.

All the scientists deeply regret what they had done, and one of them had even taken Laika home to play with his children the day before the mission, but it doesn’t stop the sick feeling that rises with Renji as he reads further.

_Overheating and stress… five to seven hours after launch… chained to stop her from turning around… they lied._

Renji’s hands tremble in anger and horror, his eyes prickle slightly, and his chest becomes tighter as he slowly sets the newspaper down. He feels a lump in his throat, and he tries to take deep breaths to calm himself down. 

He sets the newspaper aside and takes out a sheet to start writing his report, but as he writes, he makes the mistake of looking at that worn newspaper photo from so many decades ago.

 _You didn’t deserve this._ Renji thinks, gripping his brush a lot more tightly. _You deserved so much better than this. You loved humans and this is how they repay you… it’s not fair, dammit!_

The door slides open, and Renji sets his brush down and stands up to greet Kuchiki-taichou as he enters. He doesn’t know whether he succeeds in hiding his anger, but either way, his captain is definitely going to pick up on it.

“Ah, you’re back,” Byakuya greets, looking up from his papers. “How did your-” He stops in his tracks and frowns. “Why do you look so tense, Abarai?”

Renji sighs. There’s no point in trying to hide something from his captain; to do that would be an insult to his intelligence.

He might as well just tell him now.

“Have you heard the news? About Laika the space dog?” Renji asks tersely.

“What?” Byakuya looks puzzled now as he makes his way to his desk.

“You know? The Space Race, Soviet Union, Sputnik…” When Byakuya still looks bemused, Renji just sighs and shakes his head. “Laika was the first dog in space, Taichou. She was sent up in Sputnik 2 in 1957.”

Byakuya frowns again, this time more thoughtful. “Yes, I’ve heard a little bit about those missions,” he says. “I never bothered to learn more, though.”

“Well, the truth about her mission came out this month,” Renji continues, his hands trembling again as he sits back down. “She… She died of overheating. And it was as slow and painful as it sounded.” His shoulders sag, defeated. “She didn’t deserve to be treated like that.”

As usual, Byakuya just looks rather disdainful upon hearing this piece of news.

“What did you expect?” he asks, raising an eyebrow. “Humans are cruel and careless towards anything they believe as inferior as their own. And that includes those of their own kind, of course. Did you really think they would’ve treated a stray dog any better?”

Even though his captain speaks the truth, something about those words just rubs Renji the wrong way.

But he says nothing and gets back to work. Even so, his reiatsu is fired up with anger and grief, creating a thick tension that makes anyone flinch when they come into contact with him.

Not that Renji cares right now; not when all he can think about is this poor little stray dog, who had definitely been terrified in that capsule. 

It’s so strange, really. He’s never actually known Laika personally, yet knowing the truth of her death is like a sucker punch to the gut for him, and the ache in his heart surprises him greatly.

_I’m so sorry, Laika… you really didn’t deserve this._

* * *

His anger has been simmering for the rest of the day, but now that evening is here and he’s gone out for drinks at an izakaya with the other lieutenants, all those suppressed emotions come flooding back in full force.

“Look at this!” Renji says heatedly, throwing the newspaper down onto the table. “What they did to Laika was so fucking wrong! She didn’t die painlessly, she fucking overheated hours into the launch!”

“Oh my god…” Kira mutters, rubbing his temples.

Silently, Rangiku makes a beeline for the washroom.

Rukia just rolls her eyes and downs her drink.

But Renji doesn’t care. “It’s not fair what happened to her! She didn’t deserve to be used like that, she didn’t deserve to be trapped in a capsule and shot up into space!” he rants. “I don’t understand how they could’ve done this to her! She was a stray dog, she didn’t give a fuck about going to space! But they only chose her because she’s used to extreme cold and hunger? That’s fucking messed up!”

“Okay, clearly I missed a lot during these several years apart,” Rukia interrupts. “Renji, how the hell did you get so attached to a Soviet space dog from the Fifties?”

“Blame all the gossip and news about the Space Race back then,” Hisagi says with a sigh. “He’s been writing letters to Nav since Sputnik 2 went into orbit.”

“And none of them have been answered!” Renji adds.

“Well, what do you expect, Abarai?” Ikkaku demands. “As if they’d be bothered to search for a stray dog in a realm much bigger than fucking Soul Society!”

“But why?” Rukia asks, looking at Renji. “Why are you so passionate about her?”

Renji falters slightly, and he sinks into his chair. “She was a stray dog,” he says softly. “When I looked at her… I was reminded of myself.”

To be honest, he’d never expected the tragic story of Laika to resonate so deeply within him, and he certainly hasn’t expected to get so attached to her either.

Then again, the stray dog within him connects so strongly with this story, fuelling his anger and pain as he struggles to understand how anyone can be so cruel to an innocent stray dog.

But that’s the reality of it all. The world of politics is brutal, and when the higher-ups have beef with one another, the innocents end up caught in the crossfire. They’re either left for dead, or used for the benefits of the higher-ups until they’re thrown out like trash.

Just like Laika, used only to further the benefits of the Soviet Union.

He hates it. He hates it so much.

But he wouldn’t be who he is if it weren’t for his big, stupid heart and his anger at all the injustices around him, both in the Living World and in Soul Society.

Renji sighs. “She deserved so much better,” he mutters, knocking back a glass of sake.

As he drinks, he can feel Iba’s eyes on him, and when he glances from the corner of his eye, he notices that Iba appears to be thinking about something.

* * *

Two weeks have passed since that day when the heartbreaking truth about Laika had come out in the newspaper. Renji continues with his life, but he continues to be haunted by this awful piece of news… perhaps he’ll be stricken with it forever.

He’s in the middle of training when a Hell Butterfly flutters over to him with a message from Komamura-taichou, requesting to see him.

Renji frowns. Why the captain of the Seventh wants to see him, he has no clue.

Nevertheless, he answers with an agreement to meet him, and sends off the butterfly before heading to the Seventh’s barracks and training grounds.

When he reaches the office, Renji knocks on the door. “It’s Abarai-fukutaichou,” he announces by way of greeting.

“Come in,” Komamura’s deep voice booms from the other side.

With a bow, Renji slides the door open to see both Komamura and Iba waiting for him inside.

“You wished to see me, sir?” Renji asks, entering and closing the door behind him.

Komamura nods. “Iba had told me about something that had gotten you fired up two weeks ago,” he says. “I wanted to share this with you, perhaps to give you some hope.”

Renji frowns slightly.

“Sir?”

“Did you know?” Komamura says slowly. “There are werewolf tribes in Nav. Some of them were once human souls that took a canine turn upon death through an ugly and consuming anger. But others had been ordinary canines in life, and have been given shifting powers in death.”

Renji remains silent, nodding slowly. “I… I never knew that, sir,” he admits.

“Communicating letters to Nav is a difficult task, from what I’ve heard,” Komamura continues. “Your letters haven’t been responded to, I take it?”

“Yes, sir.”

“We have some communication channels through common relatives in the Beast Realms,” Komamura tells him. “I’ve heard stories of a Pack Leader, a small and rather young canine.”

At this, Renji finds himself sitting up a little straighter.

“She’s not even as old as yourself, but she is just as fierce as you are, Abarai,” Komamura says. “It is a myth that canines can swallow the moon, but it is said that among all canines… she has come the closest.”

Renji’s heart beats faster against his chest. His palms feel damp with sweat, and he swallows nervously. 

“Komamura-taichou…” he says hesitantly. “Do you think if I wrote her a letter… you could send it to her?”

* * *

> _Dear Laika,_
> 
> _You do not know me, and you probably never will. My name is Abarai Renji, and I am a Shinigami of Soul Society. I was informed of your existence through one of the captains, a Komamura Sajin, and he has promised to send this letter to you._
> 
> _I want to say that I was aware of your story since it happened all those years ago. Like you, I also grew up on the streets, and when I first heard about you, I felt such a strong connection with you. I know what it’s like to be cold and hungry, to be desperate for love and affection. I know how it feels to be treated badly, but certainly not to the extent that you have._
> 
> _I’m truly sorry for what you had endured back then. You deserved so much better than to suffer such a cruel fate. I hope that you are at least content in the afterlife, and that you are at peace now. I wish I could’ve done something to help you; I know that it’s impossible for me to have done anything; after all, I’m just a shinigami, but I wish I didn’t have to play a silent witness to what you went through._
> 
> _I hope this letter reaches you. Again, I am so, so sorry. You didn’t deserve what happened to you. I wish you all the best in your new life._
> 
> _Sincerely,_
> 
> _Abarai Renji_

By the time he hands the letter to Komamura, Renji’s chest is tight, and he has to force down the tears that prick his eyes.

* * *

Another two weeks pass before Renji receives news about his letter, and he is called back into Komamura’s office yet again.

“She has received your letter,” Komamura tells him. “And she has told me that she wishes to meet you, Abarai.”

Renji stares at him in surprise. But at the same time, he feels a strange kind of excitement within him as he considers the prospect of actually meeting Laika for himself.

“Th-Thank you, Komamura-taichou!” he says excitedly. “It would be a pleasure to meet her as well!”

“Very well then. I shall arrange a day and time to meet her, and I will inform you when I have done so.”

“Yes, sir!”

By the time Renji leaves the Seventh, he feels a strange kind of anticipation within him, one that’s so alien to him, yet so very… pleasant.

The border between Nav and Soul Society is far off from the Seireitei; you’d have to leave at dawn if you wanted to get there by afternoon. Even so, Renji is definitely willing to make that journey out there if it means he can finally meet Laika.

Surprisingly, it doesn’t take too long for the meeting to be arranged, and after receiving permission from Yamamoto, Komamura is also kind enough to inform Byakuya about this excursion to the border.

While Byakuya is rather puzzled at this, he concedes and allows Renji to go.

“Clearly it means a lot to you, Abarai,” Byakuya reasons. “I would be a fool if I were to stop you from going.”

“Are you going to come as well?” Renji asks.

“Who else would manage the office if both captain and lieutenant are absent?” Byakuya points out.

Well, he does have a point, Renji realizes.

Instead, he bows in gratitude. “Thank you, Captain,” he says sincerely. “Thank you so much.”

* * *

The sky is still dark when Renji departs with Komamura for the journey to the border between Nav and Soul Society. Despite not getting much sleep the previous night, he is filled with anticipation as they commence on their trip.

Thanks to shunpo, the duration of the journey is reduced a little, but they have to be careful not to use it too much and wear themselves out.

For the most part, the trip is silent, and Renji is content to be lost in his thoughts for a while. As eager as he is to meet her, he also feels anxious at the same time.

Every now and then, Komamura asks Renji a few questions about what made him become so invested in Laika, and Renji is truthful in his responses.

“Iba was right about you,” Komamura muses. “You have quite a big heart.”

Renji just looks down shyly at that.

By the time they reach the Smorodina River and the border to Nav, it’s already mid-morning. Mist rolls off the river’s surface, and a morning chill lingers in the air.

On the other side of the bridge on the river, Nav is obscured by a thick fog. Renji can hardly see anything on the other side there.

“Looks like it’s a foggy day over there,” Komamura observes. “But they should be here any time soon.”

Sure enough, Renji picks up on a foreign spiritual pressure, unlike anything he’s ever felt before. Soon after that, he hears the sound of multiple paws heading their way, followed by snarls and growls, and he tenses up slightly.

And right then, emerging from the fog is the most majestic sight that Renji has ever seen: a large pack of wolves and canines.

These canine creatures… they look so different from the canines and wolves of Soul Society. They’re more fierce, more vicious, and truly majestic beings.

None of them make a move to cross the bridge. Instead, they all move aside and bow formally as they make a path for their pack leader. Her paws sound much smaller, and they almost patter against the ground as they draw nearer.

And then, Renji sees her.

Compared to the other wolves and canines , this leader is a small stray dog. Part-Siberian husky, with another unknown breed mixed in, she has those distinct perky ears and bright, curious eyes that Renji recalls in that photograph.

But at the same time, her spiritual pressure is strong. Despite her small size, she is clearly a leader that commands respect from the rest of the pack.

Renji feels his heart beating faster as Laika crosses the bridge and slowly approaches him. Tentatively, he holds his palm out, letting her sniff it curiously before gently licking it.

She then sits down perfectly straight, and Renji smiles softly at her.

“It’s great to finally meet you,” he says. “Laika.”

Laika barks softly, pawing at his hand.

Chuckling quietly, Renji gently pets her head. His chest feels tight, and he can feel tears in his eyes as he kneels down to properly pet her.

“I’m just like you, you know?” he murmurs. “I also grew up in the streets, cold and hungry and desperate for love and warmth. I know what it’s like to try and chase an impossible dream.”

Laika just looks at him, listening intently to his words as she tilts her head.

“Can you understand me?”

Renji receives a soft bark in response, and when he glances back at Komamura, he receives a nod as a confirmation.

Smiling again, Renji turns back to Laika. “I wanted to tell you that you’re so strong,” he tells her, his voice trembling. “You’re such a good girl, and I’m so sorry you had to come here in such an awful way. I’ve been writing letters to try and see where you were, you know? Right from when you had been sent up, I've been sending letters to Nav.”

Laika’s eyes seem to shine fondly before she lightly licks Renji’s cheek, earning a wet laugh from him. She then barks gently and softly for a little bit before licking his other cheek.

“She says that she is happy to meet you as well,” Komamura translates. “She thanks you for your sweet words and your concern for her. She’d never imagined that someone would have cared to check up on her like how you have. Furthermore… she has never held a grudge against humans.”

Renji swallows past the lump in his throat. “I’m so happy to see that you’re doing alright,” he continues. “Don’t stop being strong, okay?”

Laika barks and licks his cheek again. Renji responds with a gentle hug, one that she happily leans into.

“Thank you,” Renji whispers, finally allowing the tears to fall as he pulls away. “Thank you so much.”

With another soft bark, Laika wags her tail and lets Renji pet her once more.

“She must depart now,” Komamura informs him before turning to Laika. “Thank you again for agreeing to this meeting. I wish you all the best.”

Laika barks again, and after another gentle bark at Renji, she turns and crosses the bridge back to her pack. She barks at them, making them all stand upright as her bark rings clearly in the air, and leads them all back into the fog of Nav.

Renji just slowly gets up, staring a little bit longer as he watches them disappear into the fog. His cheeks are hot with tears, but the sense of peace that washes over him now is surprisingly welcome.

“Abarai?” Komamura’s voice breaks him out of his reverie.

Wiping the tears away, Renji just nods shakily as he turns to face him. “Thank you again, Komamura-taichou,” he whispers. “Thank you so much.”

Komamura just nods in understanding. “Let us return,” he says. “We have another long journey if we want to get back before nightfall.”

Renji nods. “Yes, sir.”

He starts to follow Komamura, but pauses in his tracks to give one last glance at the land of Nav on the other side of the bridge. And with that, Renji turns around and continues to follow Komamura back to the Seireitei.

_Thank you, Laika. You really are a good girl._

**Author's Note:**

> I can't tell you how many times I cried while I wrote this fic. The story of Laika is so tragic, and I always want to cry every time I think about her. Plus, I really wanted to have that little meeting between Renji and Laika.
> 
> I also have to say that it was pretty cool to incorporate elements of Slavic mythology like Nav and the Smorodina River into this fic. If Soul Society has a Western branch, who's to say that other undead realms don't exist in canon?
> 
> And plus, it was actually pretty fun to incorporate historical events like the Space Race and the rivalry between America and the Soviet Union here.
> 
> Once again, thanks so much to Polynya for her amazing drabble that inspired this fic!
> 
> Please let me know how I did, and have a good one!


End file.
